Modi not inviting Pakistan PM for swearing-in reflects frozen relations

The ongoing diplomatic tension between India and Pakistan was highlighted once again as Narendra Modi, who took oath as Prime Minister of India for the straight third term on Sunday, did not invite his Pakistan counterpart to his swearing-in ceremony even as Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and many others from neighboring countries were guests of high importance during the function.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was not invited to Modi’s swearing-in ceremony.

However, Shehbaz Sharif and his brother and former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif, who was invited Modi’s first searing-in as India’s PM in 2014, sent congratulatory messages to Modi through X, formerly Twitter.

“Felicitations to Narendra Modi on taking oath as the Prime Minister of India,” Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on the social media platform.

“My warm felicitations to Modi Ji on assuming office for the third time. Your party’s success in recent elections reflects the confidence of the people in your leadership. Let us replace hate with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia,” Nawaz Sharif wrote on X.

Modi, responding to their messages said that the people of India always stand for peace, security, and progressive ideas.

Modi’s response to Pakistan clearly pointed towards the recent terror attack on a bus in Jammu and Kashmir.

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“Appreciate your message Nawaz Sharif. The people of India have always stood for peace, security and progressive ideas. Advancing the well-being and security of our people shall always remain our priority,” Modi wrote back on the social media website.

A week ago, in an apparent reference to the Kargil war, Nawaz Sharif admitted that Islamabad had “violated” an agreement with India in 1999.

Most countries have congratulated Modi but the Indian government didn’t receive any message from the top leadership of China, including President Xi Jinping.

On Saturday, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to a congratulatory message from his Chinese counterpart by saying India will make efforts to normalize ties with China on the basis of “mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity”.